Over the years, Empangeni High School has developed a character of its own that has made learners and teachers distinctive wherever they go. We place a high priority on personal neatness as regards school uniforms, the covering of books and especially the care of our surroundings. Learners who are guilty of polluting and spoiling their environment, will not fit in well here.

We also regard friendliness as a positive characteristic that must be encouraged and exercised at all times. Therefore we expect scholars to greet, as amiably as possible, one another, their teachers and anyone with whom they come into contact.

Learners enrolled at Empangeni High School undertake to adhere to and respect its rules.

A learner is thus always an ambassador of our school. We, therefore, expect them not only to show excellent sportsmanship and hospitality, but also to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner both in and outside of the school (whether in school uniform or not) so as not to degrade the learner' corps.

It is our priority to encourage our pupils to be involved in all aspects of school life. This includes not only academic studies, but also the development of the pupils' total character, personality, leadership potential, etc.

HOëRSKOOL  EMPANGENI

RUGBYGESKIEDENIS

 IN  DIE  SEWENTIGER JARE het oud-skolier Bennie de Klerk op voorry vir die Natalspan diens gedoen.  Hoërskool Empangeni se eerste rugbyspan was ook baie suksesvol en gevrees onder die bekwame en legendariese afrigter Dok Briers gedurende hierdie tydvak.  Een van die eerstespan kapteins, Bernd Kankowski, was later jare lank kaptein van die Empangeni Rugbyklub en het vir Natal B- en Plattelande uitgedraf.  Asjas Steenkamp, eerstespan afrigter in die begin van die tagtigerjare het jare op die reserwebank vir Natal gesit toe Stan Holmes die Natalse skrumskakel was.  Johan Botes, 1982, het later jare op losskakel vir Transvaal en Oos-Transvaal uitgedraf.  Daar bestaan slegs rekords vanaf 1970 van leerders wat Natal skolerugby gespeel het.  Hier volg ‘n lys:

 1970 R Oeschger,  W van Rooyen

1971 P Opperman,  C Boardman

1972 T Boucher,  P Brits,  G Buss, R Minnie

1973 M Smit,  P Vorster

1975 N van Rooyen,  W Badenhorst

1977 J van Zyl, MP van Staden,  A de Villiers

1978 W Vermaak

1981 Carl du Preez

1983 Deon Marx

 In 1985 het Wynand Strydom op haker en Markus Struwig op slot die Natal Skole A- en B-spanne onderskeidelik verteenwoordig.  Leon Coetzee het in 1990 vir die Natal Skole B-span diens gedoen as lopkopstut.

 In 1992 het Hoërskool Empangeni ‘n sterk eerste span gehad wat gelykop gespeel het teen Michaelhouse en ook die Vryheid rugbyweek gewen het as een van 14 besoekende skole uit Natal, Transvaal en die Vrystaat.  Twee spelers uit hierdie span het later vir Natal 0-21 gespeel.  Hulle was Renaldo Geldenhuys (loskopvoorry) en JC de Ridder (skrumskakel).  Hierdie span het die geleentheid gehad om teen goeie teenstand te speel soos Dale College;  Despatch Hoërskool en Rondebosch, danksy Garth Giles (toe van  Michaelhouse).   Hierdie span se kaptein, Rudi de Beer, was vanaf 1997 Speler van die Jaar by die Richardsbaai Rugbyklub en speel ook vir die Rhino’s en Zululand senter.

 In 1993 en 1994 het Hoërskool Empangeni se eerste span daarin geslaag om gelykop te speel teen Maritzburg College se eerste span.

 Kevin Putt, legendariese skrumskakel van Natal, en ook ‘n Springbok, het sy verblyf in Suid-Afrika begin as onderwyser by Hoërskool Empangeni.  Hy was vir ons afrigters en spelers van onskatbare waarde.  Die enigste speler wat vir die Springbokke en All-Blacks uitgedraf het!

 In 1995 het Thabani Mdjadu die Natal o/17 Akademiespan     verteenwoordig, die eerste jaar wat hy begin rugby speel het.

In 1996 en 1997 het Hoërskool Empangeni se eerste rugbyspan die Durban Noord Kollege rugbyweek gewen met onderskeidelik twaalf en tien besoekende spanne uit Transvaal, Vrystaat en Natal.  Marnus Steenkamp, losskakel, het die Natal Akademiespan in 1997 by die Cravenweek verteenwoordig.

 In 1999 haal die volgende o/16 spelers die Natal Prestige oefengroep:  JP Marneweck;  Clifford  Lourens;  Pierre Crous en  Donovan Barnard en Jan-Harm Steenkamp die o/17 groep.

In 1999 wen Hoërskool Empangeni se o/15 span die finaal in die Collegians Junior International Rugby Festival op Kingspark in Durban en stap weg met goue medaljes..

 In 2000 haal JP Marneweck en Clifford Lourens die o/17 Natal Prestige oefengroep.

In 2000 speel oudskoliere Robin Linde en Hannes Venter vir Natal en Grens in die Vodacom Curriebeker-reeks.  Robin Linde was ‘n leerder van Hoërskool Empangeni vanaf 1992 tot 1996 - het ‘n post matriek in 1997 by Maritzburg College dedoen en vir Natal Hoërskole, SA Skole en Natal o/21, SA o/21, WP, Stormers en Bayonet in Frankryk  gespeel.

 David de Villiers matrikuleer in 1997, speel vir Boland Kavaliers en van 2008 tot en met 2010, is hy ‘n staatmaker slot van die Vrystaat Cheetas.

 Jaco Erasmus matrikuleer in 1996, speel vir London Irish, in 2009 vir Italië en Italië Sevens,

 Hoërskool Empangeni sal aanhou streef om goeie rugbyspelers vir Natal groot te maak, al word ons bestes in die moderne era deur stadskole en privaatskole met aanloklike finansiële aanbiedings van ons wegge-raap, en al is dit feitlik onmoontlik vir Zululand leerders om die Natal Hoërskolespan te haal, is die geleentheid om Natal o/21 en Natal te speel, steeds ‘n nastrewende ideaal.

 EMPANGENI  HIGH  SCHOOL

RUGBY  HISTORY

 IN THE 1970's ex pupil Bennie de Klerk played in the front row for Natal.  During this period, the EHS first team was also very successful and feared under the able leadership of the legendary coach, Dok Briers.  One of our first team captains,  Bernd Kankowski, at a later stage, was captain of the Empangeni Rugby Club for years and played for Natal B and Plattelande.  Asjas Steenkamp, the first team coach at the beginning of the 1980's, was reserve for Natal when Stan Holmes was  scrumhalf for Natal.  Johan Botes, 1982, later played flyhalf for Transvaal and Eastern Transvaal.  Records of learners who played school’s rugby for Natal only existed as from 1970, onwards.  These were:

 1970 R Oeschger,  W van Rooyen

1971 P Opperman,  C Boardman

1972 T Boucher,  P Brits,  G Buss, R Minnie

1973 M Smit,  P Vorster

1975 N van Rooyen,  W Badenhorst

1977 J van Zyl, MP van Staden,  A de Villiers

1978 W Vermaak

1981 Carl du Preez

1983 Deon Marx

 In 1985 Wynand Strydom, as hooker and Markus Struwig as lock, represented the Natal Schools A and B teams respectively.  Leon Coetzee played for the Natal Schools B team in 1990, as loosehead prop.

 In 1992, EHS had a strong first team that drew against Michael House and also came first in the Vryheid Rugby Week, being one of 14 visiting schools from Natal, Transvaal and the Free State.  Two players from this team later played for the U/21 Natal team.  They were Renaldo Geldenhuys, loosehead prop and JC de Ridder as scrum half.  This team had the opportunity to play against strong teams like Dale College, Despatch Hoërskool and Rondebosch, thanks to Garth Giles (then of Michael House).  This team’s captain, Rudi de Beer, has been player of the year consistently since 1997 at the Richards Bay Rugby Club and also played for the Rhino’s as well as Zululand as centre.

 In 1993 and 1994, the EHS first team succeeded in drawing their game against the first team of Maritzburg College.  Kevin Putt, legendary Natal scrum half and also Springbok, was a teacher at Empangeni High School when he first came to this country.  His contribution was of immeasurable value to both coaches and players.  One of very few who played for thye Springboks and All Blacks.

 In 1995 Thabani Mdjadu represented the Natal U/17 Academy Team and that in the year he started playing rugby!

 In 1996 and 1997 the EHS first team obtained first position in the Durban North College rugby week with  respectively 12 and 10 visiting teams from Transvaal, the Free State and Natal.  Marnus Steenkamp, flyhalf, represented the Natal Academy at the Craven Week in 1997.

 The following U/16 players made the U/16 Natal prestige Practice group:  JP Marneweck,  Clifford Lourens,  Pierre Crous and Donovan Barnard and Jan-Harm Steenkamp made the U/17 group.

 In 1999 Empangeni High School U/15 team won the Collegians Junior International Club Rugby Festival at the ABSA Stadium in Durban and received gold medal awards.

 In 2000 JP Marneweck and Clifford Lourens made the U/17 Natal Prestige practice group.  In 2000 ex-pupils Robin Linde and Hannes Venter played for Natal and Border in the Vodacom Curry Cup Series.  Robin Linde was a learner at EHS from 1992 to 1996.  He did a post-matric in 1997 at Maritzburg College and played for Natal High Schools, SA Schools, Natal U/21, SA U/21, Stormers and Bayonet in France.

 David de Villiers matriculated in 1997, played for Boland Cavaliers and from 2008 to 2010 were a stalwart lock for the Cheetas..

 Jaco Erasmus matriculated in 1996, played for London Irish, in 2009 for Italy and Italy Sevens.

 EHS will continue striving to produce rugby players for Natal even though our best players are lured away by lucrative offers from private and city schools.  Even if it is almost impossible for Zululand learners to make the Natal High Schools team, the opportunity to play for the Natal U/21 and Natal teams still remains an ideal worth striving for.